New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-22

Little importance is TO be attached to the
newest rumors respecting the Bchring sea con-
trovcrsy. One of these stories represents Sec
rotary Bayard as humbly apologzing TO the
British Government for the detention Of the
three scalcrs seized last year and promising
that orders shall be issued for the release of the
vessels. Another account, apparently equal!
Enthusiastically assumes that there Is serious
disagreement on this subject between the At
torncy General and the Secretary OF State and
that the latter will speedily resign unless the
President sides with him in rcnOuncing juriS-
dction beyond the thrcc-milc limit Neither
Of these rumors is worthy Of crcdcncc AS
the Government has pcrscvcrcd tins year IN
IL policy OF maintaining it's exclusive rights IN
those waters it is incredible that the Secretary
of State should be offering apologies for last
years seizures. Equolly prcpostcrouS Is the
assumption that either Secretary Bayard or
Attorncy-G General Garland will resign IN con-
sequence Of a divergence Of views on THIS
subject. The policy Of defending American
rights in those waters has been deliberately
adopted by the Cabinet and seizure has followed
seizure since last May. If serious disagree
mcnts have arisen in the Cabinet oyer this
question designations would have been IN order
long time ago
When the Bchring Sea cases were first con-
sidcrcd at Washington. the Administration I'M
dOubtcdy Numbered. The release Of the three
scacrs seized in 1886 was ordered after CON
sultation between the Attorncy-Gcncnl and
the Secretaries Of State and the Treasury.
This order has never been executed although
Al III Enyorpmnuf have epcllpllV called
attention to it. The Administration found
that il had made a mistake and altered ITS
course without giving warning to the Ottawa
officials. The British scalcrs which left Victoria
early in the spring expected TO be unmolestcd,
since the Washington Government had appar-
entity rcnounccd the principle of jurisdiction
beyond marine league They were captured
because the Administration had aSccrtaincd
that the treaty with Russia and various Acts
Of Congress based upon IT distinctly recognized
the principle Of exclusive jurisdiction. II
there were Cabinet dlsagrccmcnts on this sub
icct a year ago. we suspect that the Attorney
General was largely at fault, since the views
now attributed to Secretary Bayard were then
entertained by him. In any event, these differ
cnccs must have been harmOnzcd when the
DOlCN Vi uO SUI ''""N''''
adopted last spring. The rumor-mongcrs arc
apparently striving to convict the AdmnlStra-
ton Of imbccilty.
II is true that Secretary Bayard, for reasons
Of his own wishes 10 cvadc responsibility iOr
the Behring sea seizures. lie prefers to have
the British Foreign Office believe that he has
neither asserted nor denied the principle OF SUI
urcmc jurisdiction in those waters. Certainly
il was not necessary for him TO define the
Nations rights acquired by treaty with Russia
nor to proposc for the benefit Of Great Britain
the abrogation Of Mr.. Stewards Conventions
Those rights were asserted in the Act of JGiy
1868. in which Congress assumed supreme
jurisdiction over the waters ana Territory c"dcd
Inv Russia. Secretary BayaId may b. a'tIul
in his diplomacy but Smoy lac Is
not TO be scnOu credited "i'h
"A deliberate attempt 70 annIl the
Revised Statutes and TO dcnouncc hc
Treaty of Ccsson. The seizures, were TcNchuc
cases and came under the jurisdiction 81 Inc
Treasury Department and the Attorney Och-
ciars Office. There was a blundcr at the start
and the release OF these vessels was ordered.
This order may be carried ont AT this late day
hut il is incredible that authority for the suDsc-
oucnt seizures made during the present year